Devotion
by Lady Carrea
Summary: A promise fulfilled. "Take care of Sonea for me Lorlen"
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Debris. All he could feel was debris. A faint voice was shouting at his name over and over. _Can't they just leave me alone. Can't they see I am sleeping. _Something moved and shifted around him, and suddenly he could breathe again. The deep inhalation made him cough and splutter, but also woke him slightly. "Lorlen!" It shouted again, this time louder and clearer.

"Leave me alone." He mumbled back at the voice.

"Lorlen, you must wake up!" It told him urgently. "You are bleeding!"

"I'm not bleeding." He told the voice incoherently. Suddenly the pile next to him shifted and light streamed through onto him. A hand appeared, followed by a person. Lorlen's vision blurred as he wavered in and out of consciousness. A tentative mind reached him and he found Osen standing outside his semi constructed house that was his mind. "Osen!"

"Lorlen! You must stay awake!" He shouted urgently. Lorlen looked at him oddly, but was then met by emptiness as Osen left his mind. His body was then pulled out from the wreckage and he could feel himself slipping away. _Can't... Wake..._ He slurred, falling into the depths of unconsciousness.

* * *

As time slipped by, Lorlen understood more and more of what happened. The Ichani. Osen had shielded whilst he blasted the weak Ichani. Then the leader came. Blasted the house. The house had crumbled and the wall had fallen on them. Then Osen had tried to free him. Then nothing. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing when moving. He was lying in a long room and he was hurt. Looking at the damage to his body he could see that he was mostly unscathed. He was tired, bruised and aching, luckily nothing was broken. As he stirred, Osen approached and sat down beside him. "Are you awake?" He said softly.

"Just about." Lorlen replied coughing.

"I wouldn't move too much, a beam fell on your head." Lorlen went to reply but was stopped by a mental projection of the Guild. He could feel Balkan's presence behind it and from his position he must have been standing on the University roof. Below him stood Akkarin and Sonea standing in defiance and the Ichani were walking towards them. _They came back! They've come to save us!_ Lorlen reached into his pocket for the ring, but hesitated. He didn't want to distract Akkarin. Flashes brought his attention back to the scene and at first they seemed equally matched. However the Ichani had the advantage as there were three of them. But Akkarin and Sonea were standing strong. Then time seemed to stand still as the projection flooded with worry and he saw Akkarin collapse. _No! Akkarin!_ Lorlen did not hesitate now, and grabbed the ring out of his pocket. Balkan and others were now attacking the Ichani from the roof, and Sonea... Sonea was leaning over Akkarin. Lorlen called out through the ring.

_-Akkarin! Are you alive?_

_-Lorlen? No! Take off the ring Lorlen!_

_-No! I am not leaving you._

_-You sound just like Sonea. _Lorlen smiled, and could feel slight amusement coming from Akkarin. _But you must take off the ring Lorlen, I don't want you to feel me die._

_-No! You aren't going to die! Just hold on. _Akkarin showed him his wounds and Lorlen gasped. _No! Don't die on us, we need you! I need you!_

_-Take care of Sonea for me Lorlen. She will need you. _Lorlen could feel his love for her emanated from his thoughts and was surprised. He thought of her as his thoughts faded away into nothingness.

_-Akkarin?_

_-Akkarin?_

_-AKKARIN!_ Lorlen cried out, but there was no answer.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Lorlen couldn't believe it, _wouldn't _believe it. Maybe the ring had stopped working. Maybe Akkarin was just unconscious. Yes that was it. He would get to the Guild and find him out of it. Everyone had started returning to the Guild, himself included. Osen supported him, and they made progress slowly. But Lorlen wouldn't stop until he knew for sure. When they finally reached the gates Lorlen knew. Akkarin lay on the floor and Sonea was half laid on him. But something inside him would not let go, so he continued on nonetheless. Slowly he approached Sonea and Akkarin, and Osen stayed behind. He could hear Sonea crying, and tears formed in his eyes. There in Akkarin's chest lay a knife. And he was deathly white. The world spun and Lorlen collapsed down, tears rolling down his cheeks and vision blurring completely. Dead. He was dead. A part of him could not believe it. Akkarin had been always there, ever since they were novices. Every situation Lorlen managed to get in, every time he needed someone, Akkarin was there. _I failed as a friend. I never believed his story, I was too blinded to see the truth. _Akkarin's last words echoed in his mind _'Take care of Sonea for me Lorlen. She will need you.'. I may have failed him then, but I will not now. _Lorlen wiped his eyes and said softly "Sonea," she didn't move, so he gently pulled her away. "Sonea, I want to show you something." She looked at him directly, eyes full of pain and cheeks flooded with tears. He held her hand and showed her Akkarin's last thoughts.

_-He died thinking about you._ He whispered to her mentally. Sonea burst into tears again, and Lorlen reached out and held her close, crying with her. _I won't fail you Akkarin._

_

* * *

_

Lorlen lay on his bed quietly contemplating. He had no work to do as the city was in mourning, to which he was grateful for. Even thinking about working made him wonder how he could just pick up from where he left. Everything was different now. A small knock at the door snapped him from his thoughts, and he answered it. As he opened it, he found Sonea there looking anxious. He let her in and gave her a tight hug, his height made him feel like he was protecting her. As she sat down in his guestroom, he noticed something slightly different about her. Ever since that day, he had stayed close to her, and grieved with her, and she had helped Lorlen too. Together they kept each other strong. Each day she looked better, though he knew she'd never get over Akkarin. He would never get over it, and he had only been his friend. "Lorlen," she said gently, "I have something to tell you." Lorlen looked at her confused, but when she placed her hands on her stomach, he knew what she was going to say. Realising that he guessed, Sonea smiled. Lorlen looked completely flummoxed and wasn't sure what to make of it. "Congratulations!" He managed to get out, still in shock.

"I am glad that I can come and talk to you." Sonea said gratefully. "I know I have Rothen and Dorrien, but it isn't the same. His death didn't affect them like it has to us." Tears started to fall and Lorlen's heart twisted, he hated seeing her so upset. He gently knelt beside her, held her hands and looked her straight in the eyes. Smiling sadly, he said "Everything will be fine Sonea, in time."

"I just wish things had been different!" She cried through her falling tears. Lorlen looked away wishing the same thing. "You can't change the past, only the future." He looked back at her and smiled. "But it's ok, because I will help you any way I can." Sonea smiled back at him, slid to the floor so they were at the same height and hugged him. "I am glad I have you Lorlen." She leant her head close to his chest and he rested his on hers, enjoying the comfort of holding her close again. She seemed to bring a warmth which he hadn't felt before, and it helped him stay strong for her. Sonea slowly let go, and he reluctantly loosened his grasp, letting her fall away.

"Would you like something to drink?" He said after a slightly awkward silence.

"Yes please." Sonea replied. "May I have some water." Lorlen stood and moved over to his cabinet and poured her a glass water and himself wine. Sonea had moved back into the chair and was deep in thought. "Thank you." She murmured as Lorlen gave her the glass. He watched her carefully as she seemed caught up in a painful memory, her hands were gripping the glass tightly and her gaze was fixed at the window. All of a sudden the glass shattered, shards splintered everywhere and Sonea gave a yelp of surprise. "Sonea?" Lorlen exclaimed, rushing to help. Looking down at her hand, she found pieces of glass embedded in her hand and blood pooling in her palm. Lorlen gently picked away the smaller pieces and assessed the damage. "You are going to have to go the healers, that glass is in pretty deep. Are you ok Sonea?" Sonea just looked at her hand in complete shock. "I.. I think so. I just.. I don't know."

"It's fine. Stay here a minute while I get a cloth." Lorlen went into his spare room and came back with a small white bandage cloth. "I always keep a bandage here, habit I guess." Carefully he wrapped it delicately around her hand and placed the ends between her thumb. "Keep your thumb against your hand and it should stay there." Keeping hold of her hand, he looked up at her concerned. "Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes, I am sure Lorlen. I was just thinking about something and didn't realise I was holding the glass so tightly." Lorlen looked unconvinced, but said no more. Standing up he reached out his hand to help her up and escorted her to the Healer's Quarters.


End file.
